Patti Cake$

Meet Patricia «Patti Cakes» Dumbrowski: She is unemployed and overweight, lives in a part of New Jersey where nothing happens, is called Dumbo by bullies and Patti Cakes by her grandmother, but she's daydreaming of breaking through as rap artist Killa-P. Only her sidekick and best friend Hareesh believes in her, that is until they meet anarchist and punk rocker Antichrist. The three makes an unlikely musical trio, accompanied by Patti's grandma as a human beatbox. What elevates this film is its charm, the sharp satire and fantastic rap sequences. Danielle MacDonald is a revelation in the lead, and if this was a documentary about her as a rapper, she would have been a discovery. Succumb to Patti Cake$ and you're guaranteed to be touched and. CF

Geremy Jasper is an American director and scriptwriter. In his 20s he was the front figure in the indie band The Fevers and was the lead in Beasts of the Southern Wild director Benh Zeitlin's short Glory at Sea (2008). Before his feature film debut Patti Cake$ he demonstrated his talent with the short films Glamouriety (2012) and Outlaws (2015).